Edgemont Students Performing in 'A Chorus Line' in Irvington March 27-29

By Heather LoSchiavo

HASTINGS-ON-HUDSON, N.Y., March 16, 2015— Broadway Training Center of Westchester, one of the region’s premier performing arts schools, will present the iconic musical “A Chorus Line” March 27-29 at the Irvington Town Hall Theater in Irvington, N.Y. The show will feature BTC’s senior ensemble consisting of high school students from throughout Westchester County and the Bronx.

“We’re extremely excited to bring this classic, groundbreaking musical to a new generation,” said Jason Brantman, co-artistic director of the nonprofit, Hastings-on-Hudson-based program. “We’re bringing it both for our students, who overwhelmingly requested it, and for the many young people who will see this amazing show for the first time.”

Fiona Santos, the other co-artistic director, explained that the main reason they chose “A Chorus Line” was because it provides a great challenge for the 21-member senior ensemble, more than half of whom have been students at the school for at least seven years.

“’A Chorus Line’ is not only a highly demanding dance production, it was a pioneer in terms of creating the modern musical-theater ‘triple threat’: a performer who is equally excellent as an actor, singer, and dancer. Because we have so many experienced, long-term students in our senior ensemble this year, we thought it was a terrific opportunity to tackle this unique and challenging show.”

Brantman and Santos often choose material that pushes students more than the typical high school fare. Especially for the senior ensemble (grades 9-12), they look for shows that have a degree of difficulty and maturity that aren’t usually attempted by other programs or schools. In the past four years, for example, they have staged three Stephen Sondheim shows—“Sweeney Todd” (spring 2011), “A Little Night Music” (spring 2013) and “Company” (spring 2014). In the fall of 2011, BTC’s combined junior ensemble (grades 4-9) and senior ensemble presented Gilbert & Sullivan’s “The Pirates of Penzance,” a comic opera.

“We’ve never felt our kids can’t handle it,” said Santos.

Anna Fondiller, a senior at Edgemont Jr./Sr. High School in Scarsdale, N.Y., is completing her eighth consecutive year as a student at BTC. She said she was incredibly excited to play the part of “Cassie,” a once successful solo dancer down on her luck and a former love of the director, Zach.

“I feel like everything I’ve learned at BTC since the sixth grade has been preparation for this role,” said Fondiller, who plans to pursue theater in college.

By any measure, “A Chorus Line” is one of the greatest musicals of all time. With music by Marvin Hamlisch, lyrics by Edward Kleban and a book by James Kirkwood, Jr. and Nicholas Dante, it was an unprecedented box office and critical hit, receiving 12 Tony Award nominations and winning nine (including Best Musical), as well as the 1976 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

Centered on a group of dancers auditioning for spots on a Broadway chorus line, the show provides a glimpse into the personalities of the performers and the choreographer as they describe the events that have shaped their lives and their decisions to become dancers.

BTC’s production (PG-13) will be staged at 7pm on Friday and Saturday, March 27 and 28, and at 3:00 on Sunday, March 29 at the Irvington Town Hall Theater (85 Main Street). The snow date is March 29 at 7:30 pm.

Tickets are available online at www.BroadwayTraining.com or via the box office, 914-591-6602. Advance sales are $20 for adults, $15 for seniors/students. Door sales are $22 for adults, $17 for senior/students. (Online tickets incur an ITHT facility & handling fee of $1.60 per ticket. Door sales incur an ITHT facility & handling fee of $2.00 per ticket.)

Under Brantman and Santos’ leadership since 2004, BTC and its students have won 43 National Youth Arts Awards, including Outstanding Ensemble for seven years in a row. Westchester Magazine has lauded BTC theater classes as the best in Southern Westchester, and Westchester Family has named BTC “Best Children’s Theater Company” and a “Top 5” dance studio.

The school’s junior ensemble will perform “A Year With Frog and Toad” May 1-3 at the Irvington Town Hall Theater.

For further information about the shows, including press passes, or about BTC’s youth, teen and adult enrichment programs, please call 914-478-7065 or visit www.BroadwayTraining.com.

About Broadway Training Center of Westchester:

Broadway Training Center of Westchester was recently awarded Best Theatre Classes in Southern Westchester by Westchester Magazine, under the artistic direction of Jason Brantman and Fiona Santos. This premier performing arts school, located in Hastings-on-Hudson, NY, provides children, teens, and adults with Broadway oriented performing arts training focusing on the joy of accomplishment and the enrichment of personal expression through classroom and performance work. Broadway Training Center of Westchester is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization. Celebrating its 23rd anniversary this year!

Photo 1: Anna Fondiller (in the red dress), second from the right. Photo credit: Contributed

Photo 2: Front Row (from left): Samara Scharf of Hastings as Connie, Maddy Murphy of Hastings as Diana, Julia Moore of Irvington as Maggie, Jennie Gorn of Hastings as Bebe, Maya Lopez of Hastings as Val, Tin Mei Yarrington of Scarsdale as Trisha, Nuala Vizard of Dobbs Ferry as Judy, Andina Clarkson of the Bronx as Ritchie, Ali McWalters of Hastings as Kristine, Anna Fondiller of Scarsdale as Cassie, Evie Brandford-Altsher of Hastings as Sheila.Back Row (from left): Rebecca Baron of Dobbs Ferry as Larry , Eva Ury of Dobbs Ferry as Bobby, Kobe Gorn of Hastings as Zach, Michael Manzi of Ardsley as Mark, Dan Jones of Hastings as Paul. Photo credit: Contributed

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